Carolina Panthers stud Chuba Hubbard named top RB in 2021 NFL draft class re-ranking

Former Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer did not have a high hit rate in the NFL draft - or anywhere else for that matter. In fact, Fitterer is probably as responsible for the team's current problems as much as any individual. That said, Fitterer did have his moments as an executive.

Perhaps his finest moment was his very first draft class as Carolina's GM in 2021, when he landed Jayee Horn in the first round and Brady Christensen in the third. The real hidden gem of the class didn't come until Day 3, when the Panthers picked Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard in the fourth round of the draft.

Even though several running backs were taken ahead of him in that class, it's now apparent that Hubbard is easily the best of them. In a re-ranking of the top prospects from the 2021 NFL draft, Nick Baumgardner at The Athletic has Hubbard at the top of the re-ordered list at running back.

"There were no elite running backs in this class, despite two of them (Najee Harris and Travis Etienne) being drafted in the first round... Fourth-round picks Chuba Hubbard and Rhamondre Stevenson received four-year extensions from their respective teams (Hubbard at $33.2 million, Stevenson at $36 million). Though each has outperformed his draft slot, it’ll be interesting to see if they live up to those long-term deals."

Hubbard's deal is likely to age well, assuming he can stay healthy for most of it. At the end of the 2024 season he had totaled career-best numbers in attempts (250), yards (1,195), and touchowns (10) as well as first downs (62), success rate (54.8%) and both yards before contact (656) and after (539).

One key factor for Hubbard's effectiveness is the Panthers' offensive line, which got a couple of big upgrades last offseason with Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt, who both had a big positive impact on Carolina's run blocking game. Keeping the offensive line unit going strong will give Hubbard the best possible chance to continue performing at a high level.